So this is it. This dusty pile. The physical evidence of a notion my heart already knows for sure. I find myself now in a very different season of parenting, this mothering of young adults. It’s a season of transience, one marked by coming and going, staying and leaving, holding on and letting go. I’ve … Continue reading You Gain A Little, You Lose A Little

My 16-year-old daughter recently asked me if I thought it was more difficult to be an adult or a teenage girl. Without hesitation I answered that it was much more difficult to be an adult. It’s tough being grown up. There are homes to manage, children to care for, bills to pay and bosses to … Continue reading What I Wish I’d Said To My Teenage Daughter

Dear Mom, You’re the reason I have a love/hate relationship with a worn denim-blue sofa. For many years that sofa was the only piece of furniture in a room designated “the playroom.” Amidst the stuffed animals, puzzles pieces, baby dolls, and matchbox cars, that sofa became the perch from which I parented my young children. … Continue reading Dear Mom, You’re The Reason

This is what it’s like to write about real life when you have older children. The writing may be strong, the topic timely, the content unique. It makes no difference. Everything I write is screened first by my very own in-house editorial team comprised of my eighteen-year-old son and my sixteen-year-old daughter. In truth, I … Continue reading Writing About Real Life

As winter turns to spring, college-bound high school seniors are nearing the end of their admissions journey. They attend admitted student events, weigh their options and make those final, long-awaited decisions. Now all eyes turn to our high school juniors (and sophomores) as college admissions offices continue their efforts to recruit future students. One of the … Continue reading Taming the Chaos: How to Navigate the Spring College Fair

Tonight was the first night of Passover, a holiday marked by the ritual meal called the Seder. I had been preparing for days for this meal. Cleaning, cooking, setting the table. And when I finally sat down with my husband, daughter, parents, and in-laws, my mind was on the person who wasn’t there—my son in … Continue reading Surprise Visitor

College acceptance season is in full swing. Web portals have gone live, letters are in the mail, and our high school seniors are facing one of their first big decisions as young adults: Which college do I choose to attend? The next few weeks will be exciting and busy. Many families will visit college campuses to … Continue reading Regional Admitted Student Events

I love to go on cruises. Those massive vessels truly are my happy place. Except for that last night on board before debarkation. When you’ve packed up all your stuff and left your luggage outside the stateroom. On those nights I lie awake listening to the sound of the empty hangers clanging together in the … Continue reading Empty Hangers

My husband just ticked an item off his bucket list, and I literally went along for the ride. With our son home from college for his spring break, and a family celebration to attend many many miles away from our home, my husband decided this was the perfect opportunity to rent a recreational vehicle or … Continue reading Our Spring Break RV Adventure

Today I discovered the campus webcam. Apparently there is a video camera that provides continuous, 24/7, real-time images of the center of my son’s college campus. I immediately texted my son to inform him of my discovery. He did not seem impressed. His text back to me read, “Mom don’t you have better things to … Continue reading The Campus Webcam Is My New Favorite Obsession